Samsung Heavy Industries has moved to strengthen global partnerships to preempt the market for “floating data centers (FDC),” data centers deployed on the sea surface.

Samsung Heavy Industries announced on the 3rd that it is participating in “Posidonia 2026,” the world’s largest ship exhibition being held in Athens, Greece, from the 1st to the 5th (local time), and that on the 2nd it signed a tripartite FDC business cooperation agreement with Greek shipowner Capital and UK classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR), while also discussing FDC business collaboration plans with global shipping companies.

The company also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with “Lloyd’s Advisory,” a consulting firm under Lloyd’s Register, to jointly verify economic feasibility by conducting analysis of data center infrastructure and marketability assessments in North America and to explore cooperation plans. In addition, at “Innovate APAC 2026,” an information and communications exhibition held in Taipei, Taiwan, on the 1st, it agreed on joint development cooperation with Supermicro, a U.S. company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) servers.

Because FDCs float on the sea, they operate in harsh environments characterized by vibration, inclination, saline air, and humidity fluctuations. These conditions can affect server lifespans. To enhance product competitiveness under such harsh conditions, Samsung Heavy Industries plans to develop technologies for offshore position control and blocking of salinity and humidity, while Supermicro plans to verify server operating conditions in the offshore environment.

A Samsung Heavy Industries official stated, “The data center market is expected to attract about USD 3 trillion (KRW 4,400 trillion) in funds by 2030,” adding, “Since FDCs represent a market of opportunity, we will establish a unique position through global cooperation.”

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